1
as in backdrop
the physical conditions or features that form the setting against which something is viewed they got married on a mountain top with the sunset as background

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2
as in setting
the place and time in which the action for a portion of a dramatic work (as a movie) is set the background of that movie is the World War II era

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How is the word background distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of background are environment, milieu, mise-en-scène, and setting. While all these words mean "the place, time, and circumstances in which something occurs," background often refers to the circumstances or events that precede a phenomenon or development.

the shocking decision was part of the background of the riots

Where would environment be a reasonable alternative to background?

While the synonyms environment and background are close in meaning, environment applies to all the external factors that have a formative influence on one's physical, mental, or moral development.

the kind of environment that produces juvenile delinquents

When is it sensible to use milieu instead of background?

The synonyms milieu and background are sometimes interchangeable, but milieu applies especially to the physical and social surroundings of a person or group of persons.

an intellectual milieu conducive to artistic experimentation

In what contexts can mise-en-scène take the place of background?

Although the words mise-en-scène and background have much in common, mise-en-scène strongly suggests the use of properties to achieve a particular atmosphere or theatrical effect.

a gothic thriller with a carefully crafted mise-en-scène

When could setting be used to replace background?

The meanings of setting and background largely overlap; however, setting suggests looking at real-life situations in literary or dramatic terms.

a militant reformer who was born into an unlikely social setting

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of background Almost one-third (31 out of 100) had the default greenish-grey LinkedIn background. William Arruda, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025 Levie added that for corporate use, where AI agents run in the background to execute tasks, those step-change improvements are critical, and can turn GPT-5 into a real breakthrough for work automation. Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 14 Aug. 2025 Neither Army nor District of Columbia National Guard officials have been able to describe the training backgrounds of the troops who have so far reported for duty. Lindsay Whitehurst, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2025 His mother was once an aspiring singer and has sung background vocals on Lacy’s songs, along with his sisters. Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for background
Recent Examples of Synonyms for background
Noun
  • This is happening against the backdrop of the falling age of puberty.
    Kara Alaimo, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2025
  • In the backdrop of the video, there were several books with orange covers that could be seen, featuring works of artists like Jean-Michel Basquiat, Marc Chagall and Ruth Asawa.
    Ilana Kaplan, People.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • The setting for Hacks seems to change drastically from season to season, from Las Vegas to a tour bus to a late night talk show.
    Ryan Fleming, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2025
  • Mr Việt's five bottles form this record setting series represent an unprecedented concentration of what many consider the holy grail of collectible whisky.
    Mark Littler, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Astro animations and tranquil scenes can help set the mood in the room via an Artistic Ambient Wall feature.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 16 Aug. 2025
  • The music magazine Sound Waves, which covers the music scene in southeastern Connecticut and parts of Rhode Island, is marking its 35th anniversary with a big show at the Garde in New London.
    Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 16 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Background.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/background. Accessed 28 Aug. 2025.

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